Front row, seated on chairs, left to right: Shoshana Dobushin in Hashomer Hatzair uniform (her father was a Jewish bookbinder on Harbord Street); Florence Hurwitz (lived on Wells Hill); Ida Greenberg (family was from Romania); Moshe Frank; Sadie Kanowitch; Goldie Sacks (sister of Jack); Bea Swartz (Rifka) (married Shamai Ogden; borrowed Aunt Frances Shafer's clothes to take photo. The Shafers came from Fort William in the 1920s and lived on Palmerston Blvd).

Second row, standing, left to right: Helen Peltz; [? Torno]; Miriam Parl; Lillian Swartz (sister to Bea); [unknown]; Bessie Melamed (sister to Gordon and Lily Hedich. The family had ten girls and one boy); Miriam Perl.

Back row, standing, left to right: Archie Shulman (lived at Brunswick and Harbord); [unknown]; Abraham Joel Zeldin (his father was chazan. They lived on Euclid Ave.); [Ephraim ?]; [Brother to blonde boy in front row on right (perhaps also killed in WWII)]; [? Fine]; Gordon Donsky.

Notes

Identified by Beatrice Swartz Ogden, 19 April 1995.

Name Access

Dobushin, Shoshana

Donsky, Gordon

Fine

Frank, Moshe

Greenberg, Ida

Hurwitz, Florence

Kanowitch, Sadie

Melamed, Bessie

Ogden, Shamai

Parl, Miriam

Peltz, Helen

Perl, Miriam

Sacks, Goldie

Sacks, Jacob

Shafer, Frances

Shulman, Archie

Swartz, Beatrice

Swartz, Lillian

Toronto Talmud Torah

Torno

Zeldin

Subjects

Students

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

3 photographs of the theatre's interior: the auditorium, lobby, and doorway.

Notes

Title and creation date based on content of the photographs, inscriptions and Mandel Sprachman's published Inventory of Kaplan & Sprachman theatre projects (Historic Theatres' Trust Bulletin, Spring-Summer 1996).

Subjects

Theaters

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

The Brunswick Avenue Talmud Torah Day School was established in 1907 and was originally situated on Simcoe Avenue. In 1922 the school received a charter from the Province of Ontario and relocated to Brunswick Avenue the same year. The new school opened in 1925 as a non-denominational afternoon school. It was the precursor to the Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto.

Scope and Content

File consists of one drawing of the exterior of the Brunswick Avenue Talmud Torah.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Related Material

See File 49-5-13 for plans of the Yorkville Talmud Torah Day School in New York, designed by Benjamin W. Levitan.

File contains architectural drawings of alterations to the two storey house, and a new garage for Mr. Frank S. Hutner. It is unknown whether the new garage was completed, since similar plans exist for a new garage to be shared by Mr. Hutner and Mr. Doidge at about the same time. Elevation drawings, a section, a block plan and watercolour drawings of windows and stairs are included.

Related Material

See File 49-2-12 for plans of garage to be shared by Mr. Hutner and Mr. Doidge.

File consists of a block plan, floor plan and elevation drawings of a garage to be shared by Mr. Hutner and Mr. Doidge, at 410 and 412 Brunswick Avenue respectively. It is unknown if this structure was built, since Benjamin Brown created plans of a private garage for Mr. Hutner at approximately the same time.

Notes

Formerly listed as Commission 1.

Physical Condition

Material is torn.

Related Material

See File 49-2-5 for plans of alterations to Mr. Hutner's house and the plans for his private garage.

Accession consists of correspondence from the acting director of the Children's Aid and Infants' Homes of Toronto located at 32 Isabella Street to the executive director of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society located at 145 Beverly Street. The subject of the correspondence concerns a reference for an applicant for the position of investigator in the Protection Department of the Children's Aid and Infants' Homes.

Custodial History

Item was discovered while processing CJC Fonds 17 holdings.

Use Conditions

Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records.

Conditional access. Researchers must receive permission from the interviewee or his/her heir prior to accessing the interview. Please contact the OJA for more information.

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Biography

Ethel (Levin) Abramsky came to live in Kingston after her marriage to Harry Abramsky in 1927. Ethel remained an active member of the Queen Esther Chapter of Hadassah throughout her life. Harry, an industrialist and business man was a generous benefactor of Queens University and was instrumental in establishing Hillel House at Queens. Ethel and Harry had three children and eight grandchildren.

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Biography

Sarah (Patlik) Green grew up living in Toronto's "Junction" neighbourhood. The family home and scrap yard business were both located on Maria St. which served as the centre for Jewish life in the Junction during the early 1900s. Sarah Patlik was involved with numerous charitable organizations including the Ontario Hospital School of Orilla and the Rubinoff and Naftolin Mishpocha.

Material Format

sound recording

Name Access

Green, Sarah

Geographic Access

West Toronto Junction

Kingston, Ont.

Toronto, Ont.

Orillia, Ont.

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Transcript

Side A:

0.21: Family arrived from Russia in 1908-1909. Grandfather arrived first. Saved his money and brought family to Canada, one by one. Anshel Wise agency used to help families immigrate to Canada.

3.44: Move to Toronto 1909. Family moved for better employment opportunities. Family lived in rented house on Portland Avenue. Father was a laborer in a junkyard. The junkyard was located around the King area, close to home. Family then moved to Stanley Ave. off Niagara St. Stanley Ave. was a Jewish neighborhood.

6.57: Move to The Junction 1915/1916. (Junction called “Muddy York” but was part of Toronto). Grandfather saved money and opened a junkyard of his own on Maria St. Family lived in 3 different homes on Maria St., one at 225, at 283 and the last house was right in the front of the junkyard, at 202 Maria St.

8.14: Standard of living in the Junction 1915/16. The rents were $20 a month. Mother made her own bread, preserves, and pickles to put away for the winter. She shared whatever we had with some of the poorer Jewish families on Maria St.

11.34: Transportation in the Junction. No streetcars. There used to be a “jitney” and for 5 cents it took you right to your home. The streets were not paved and the mud came up to our “ears”. Entertainment in the Junction. We had no cars, radios nor televisions but we did have a gramophone, it was our entertainment. Mother bought a piano and paid a quarter a week for it. We all took piano lessons. Attended organized free concerts and dances at the Peretz Shul on Beverley St (first on Crawford St.). Picture shows were 5 cents.

17.27: Sarah Patlik and Charity Work. Secretary for Jewish Ladies Auxillary from the Junction. Raised money for the Weston Sanitorium. Secretary for the Old Folks Home on Cecil St. Secretary for the Antidiluvian Order of Buffalos, Lord Reading Lodge. Lodge did work for War Veterans. Hadassah. Secretary for Pride of Israel. In 1973 was made Woman of the year by the Ontario Hospital School of Orilla.

20.23: Agudath Mishpocha/Rubinoff and Naftolin Families. Families formed organization so that they would all be together and not forget who they were. Formed in 1928. Charity work and donations to: The Bloorview Hospital, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, The Heart Fund, Princess Margaret, Sick Children’s Hospital, Mt. Sinai Hospital, Baycrest, Jewish Blind, Syrian Jews, State of Israel emergency fund and bonds.

30.12: Affiliation with Pride of Israel. Joined with husband in 1933. Was Synagogue secretary for many years.

34.05: Junction Shul on Maria St. Founded in 1918/1919 by Hyman Naftolin. Shul began in a little house at 84 or 86 Maria St. Shul became too small. Abraham Tenenbaum investor of present day Junction Shul.

David and Lynne both come from medical families: All four of their parents were doctors and all four attended University of Cape Town Medical School at the same time. As for David and Lynne, they began dating while Lynne was in medical school and David was completing his residency program.

South Africa’s political situation was one of the main reasons David and Lynne began thinking about leaving as neither of them wanted to raise children under the apartheid regime. Their first son was born in 1965 and by 1967 they had left. The family spent a year in Glasgow before moving to Boston, where David worked at Harvard Medical School. It was during this time that they had their second child.

Because of the fact David was eligible to be conscripted if he immigrated to the United States, the couple took out student visas, which expired after three years. If the Vietnam War had not been taking place, it is conceivable that the family would have remained in the United States, David and Lynne having already adjusted to American culture and made friends in the area.

With their visas set to expire, the couple considered immigrating to a number of countries, but settled on Canada. After their arrival, their third child was born. Once David and Lynne were settled in Canada they were joined by several other family members.

David and Lynne are now retired and enjoying the best years of their life. Their son and two daughters live in Toronto and they have ten grandchildren ranging in age from twenty-four to ten years as of November 2018.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

Ginsburg, David

Ginsburg, Lynne

Geographic Access

Boston (Mass.)

Cape Town (South Africa)

Durban (South Africa)

Glasgow (Scotland)

Kingston (Ont.)

London (England)

Pretoria (South Africa)

Original Format

Digital file

Copy Format

Digital file

Transcript

Part I:

00:27 Lynne discusses how she and David met, courted, and married.

00:46 David and Lynne and their respective parents graduated from medicine at the University of Cape Town in South Africa.

01:45 Lynne and David's son Neil was born in Cape Town in 1965.

01:50 Lynne explains their reasons for leaving South Africa in February 1967.

02:25 Lynne and David spent one year in Glasgow and three years in Boston.

02:58 Lynne and David have a second child.

03:22 Lynne explains why they were forced to leave the United States.

05:07 Lynne explains how she and David moved to Canada, specifically Kingston.

08:48 Lynne and David discuss the warm community of Kingston.

09:00 David and Lynne describe the positive and negative features of living in Boston.

11:14 Lynne was born in Pretoria, moved to Durban, and then moved to Cape Town.

12:25 David and Lynne reminisce about Cape Town.

13:10 David's brother and sister and Lynne's sister emigrated. Lynne's brother left for a short time but returned to South Africa.

13:40 David and Lynne muse about some of the changes that have occurred in South Africa.

15:42 David's father's family was from Lithuania; his mother's family was from Latvia. Lynne's father's family was from Lithuania; her mother's family was from Latvia. Lynne cites a trip made by her sister to Lithuania.

16:47 Lynne and David discuss safety concerns and high level of crime in South Africa and how it affected them personally.

19:24 Lynne addresses the inefficiency of modern-day South Africa.

21:30 Lynne discusses some of her family's history, including her grandparents and parents. Her maternal grandfather came from Lithuania and married her South-African-born grandmother. They lived briefly in the United States, where her mother was born. Her maternal grandparents came from Lithuania but were married in Cape Town. Her father was born in Cape Town. She discusses the challenges faced by her father as well as his accomplishments in the field of medicine.

25:55 Lynne describes her family's experiences during the Second World War: her father's role as a surgeon enlisted with the British army and her pregnant mother evacuated out of London to South Africa.

28:24 Lynne addresses the role of living near a Jewish community impacted her family.

31:12 David discusses some of his family's history. He shares a colourful story of how his maternal grandparents fled from Russia (Lituhania). They settled in a small town, Sterksstroom, South Africa. David shares a few stories about his father and family.

34:15 David and Lynne reminisce about the apartheid situation in South Africa during their childhood. David discusses the link between the nationalists and Israel He notes that the current South African government is anti-Israel and anti-Jewish.

36:47 David and Lynne cite incidents of antisemitism during their childhood.

38:17 David discusses the risk of making political comments during his university years.

39:14 Lynne discusses some of the restrictions imposed by the apartheid regime.

42:43 Lynne comments that her family had minimal contact with Israel and Zionist movements.

46:50 Lynne's parents spoke Yiddish with one another. David's mother spoke Yiddish, not his father. Lynne and David speak Afrikaans.

52:33 Lynne discusses her family's practice of Judaism.

55:05 David discusses his family's practice of Judaism.

56:52 Lynne and David continue to discuss Jewish practices and the customs of their grandparents.

59:46 Lynne and David describe some of the struggles faced by their grandparents' generation and the sacrifices they made for their children. They relate some stories about David's grandfather.

1:04:44 Lynne and David recall some Jewish memories while living in Glasgow and Boston.

1:10:47 Lynne discusses her experience of becoming a bat mitzvah at age fifty-three.

1:15:26 Lynne describes their involvement with the Jewish community in Kingston.

1:18:52 Lynne and David describe some of the recent changes in practice in the Kingston synagogue.

1:20:59 Lynne and David describe their children's Jewish education and practice.

1:22:42 Lynne and David share some of their views about Judaism and practice.

1:28:48 Lynne and David relate a story involving a kiddush cup brought from Europe by David's grandfather.

1:30:16 Lynne's maiden name was Heselson.

1:30:32 Lynne presents and discusses her father's military service and medals.

1:32:20 David and Lynne list their and their parents' medical specialties.

Part II

00:00 David describes his family's religious practice, including his paternal grandfather and father. David describes his own observance.

07:50 Lynne discusses her family's practice of Judaism. She recalls celebrating Jewish holidays with neighbours, the Gelfands. David and Lynne reminisce about Jewish foods.

Aubrey and Lucille both grew up Jewish in South Africa, but in many respects their experiences of Yiddishkeit were quite different. The son of Orthodox Eastern European parents, Aubrey grew up in a kosher household that took religion very seriously, even if his parents, who owned a small business, had to work Friday evenings in order to make ends meet. Lucille, on the other hand, was the daughter of German immigrants to South Africa who belonged to a Reform synagogue; as a result, she was less familiar with the nuances of kashrut. After meeting Lucille, Aubrey’s mother made several phone calls to verify that her future daughter-in-law was, in fact, Jewish.

Lucille tells a story related to her lack of familiarity with kashrut that illustrates several aspects of Jewish life under apartheid South Africa. When Aubrey was fourteen years old, his family employed a servant of the same age who went on to work for the family for decades. Years later, when Lucille was staying with Aubrey’s family, the servant, despite being non-Jewish, would inquire whether Lucille would be giving her child meat or milk that night and would then proceed to put out the food along with the appropriate plates. Immediately after doing so, he would tell Lucille not to touch anything until he returned in the morning lest she inadvertently violate kashrut!

Aubrey and Lucille left South Africa in 1965, ending up in Kingston after a two-year stay in Birmingham, Alabama. Aubrey became one of the first Jewish academics to teach at Queen’s University while Lucille found interesting jobs in social work, ending her career at Kingston General Hospital. Initially, they had some difficulty integrating into the local Jewish community, but the situation improved as they slowly became more integrated into the Jewish community and more Jewish academics settled in Kingston. Aubrey and Lucille have four children and are the proud grandparents of ten grandchildren. Aubrey passed away in February, 2018.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

Groll, Aubrey

Groll, Lucille

Geographic Access

Kingston (Ont.)

South Africa

Original Format

Digital file

Copy Format

Digital file

Transcript

Part 1:

01:07 Lucille Groll (née Godfrey) shares some of her family history. Her parents were born in Germany. Her father (né Gothelf) came to South Africa in the late 1920s as an adult. Her mother came to Johannesburg as an infant and was educated in a convent.

02:36 Lucille describes her Jewish upbringing as Reform and liberal with minimal Zionism.

Aubrey explains how they ultimately moved to Kingston, Ontario in 1967 via Birmingham, Alabama.

Part 2:

01:36 Lucille discusses her work as a social worker in psychiatry.

02:10 Aubrey and Lucille discuss their relationships with Lynne and David Ginsburg and their role in helping David find work in Kingston.

03:24 Lucille explains how she assumed there would be a Jewish community in Kingston. She shares her impressions of the Jewish community when they arrived. Aubrey shares his impressions as well.

06:20 Aubrey and Lucille were the first Jewish South Africans in Kingston. Other South Africans came to Kingston in 1969 and the 1970s. Aubrey discusses the involvement of South African Jews in the Kingston Jewish community.

08:23 Lucille discusses her family's involvement in the Jewish community in Kingston.

09:22 Lucille discusses her children and grandchildren and their practice.

14:10 ?Joyce (Aubrey's relative?) relates an anecdote about finding and repairing some old candlesticks.

15:45 Lucille discusses changes in Jewish practice over time in Canada versus South Africa.

16:50 Aubrey shares comments about the strong sense of Zionism and Jewish identity in South Africa during his youth.

19:35 Lucille notes that most South African Jews in Toronto have been affiliated with an Orthodox synagogue on Bayview Avenue and the Reform Temple Emanu-El.

Part 3:

00:00 Aubrey briefly discusses the prominence of Zionist movements and camps in South Africa.

Ivan’s parents arrived in South Africa from Lithuania around 1930. Prior to immigrating, they knew each other from Klykoliai, a shtetl in northwestern Lithuania. Ivan’s father was the first to arrive, taking up work at a concession store in the mining town of Brakpan. As for Ivan’s mother, she came over with her mother after her siblings had prepared a home for them in Brakpan. After being sent to a convent in Rhodesia in order to learn English, she returned to Brakpan where she married Ivan’s father. Together, the couple raised two children, who grew up with their maternal grandmother, who only spoke Yiddish. Consequently, Ivan grew up speaking Yiddish as well as English. He even gave his bar mitzvah speech in Yiddish, causing his Lithuanian grandmother to beam with pride.

Although they were not well off, Ivan’s parents managed to send their two sons to university. As an undergraduate, Ivan studied pharmacy at Rhodes University in Grahamstown. He met his wife while visiting his parents in Kimberley, where they had moved and were managing a hotel. The two were introduced on a blind date and corresponded for well over a year when Ivan went to do a post-graduate degree in industrial pharmacy at the University of Michigan. When Ivan returned to South Africa to take up a job in Cape Town, the two dated, became engaged, and married. In 1990, they immigrated to Canada with their two children as part of a job transfer. After a short stay in Brockville, the family relocated to Kingston, where they were active in Jewish life. Ivan’s wife, Daphne, passed away in 2006. He moved from Kingston to Toronto in 2018, joining his children Marc and Shelley and families who live there.

The Apter Synagogue was formed by a group of people who came to Toronto from the area of Opatow (Apt) in Poland around the turn of the century. They first established a small synagogue on Centre Avenue near Dundas Street in the Ward. In 1918, in anticipation of more Apter immigrants coming to Toronto after the First World War, the synagogue was sold and a larger one purchased on Beverley Street. Both the synagogue members and the Apter Friendly Society met there.

Address

216 Beverley Street

Time Period

1918-unknown

Scope Note

The Apter Synagogue was formed by a group of people who came to Toronto from the area of Opatow (Apt) in Poland around the turn of the century. They first established a small synagogue on Centre Avenue near Dundas Street in the Ward. In 1918, in anticipation of more Apter immigrants coming to Toronto after the First World War, the synagogue was sold and a larger one purchased on Beverley Street. Both the synagogue members and the Apter Friendly Society met there.

History

In later years, a bitter controversy between the synagogue and society erupted and the building was sold.

Wellts delicatessen was founded by Peter and Fannie Wellts in the 1910s at 350 College Street. Peter Wellts was born in Tarnigrad, Poland in 1888 and Fannie Brown was born in New York City in 1889. They met in New York and moved with Fannie’s family to Toronto in 1910. Peter worked in the garment district prior at the start of the restaurant business. Fannie’s father David Brown had come earlier from New York to work for Eaton’s in the men’s clothing business. The rest of the Brown family, Fannie’s parents and siblings eventually returned to New York. Peter and Fannie married in Toronto on November 26, 1910. They had two daughters Sylvia (August 26, 1911) (m. Walfish) and Ethel (dob January 7, 1928) (m. Rochwerg). They lived in an apartment above the delicatessen. When Ethel married her husband Nathan Rochwerg in 1948, they moved in with Fannie and Peter above the deli. Ethel and Nathan had three children Martin, Arlene (m. Kochberg), and Sidney. When Peter was in his 70s, it was decided that the family would move north into the Bathurst Manor and close the deli. Peter had a heart attack on December 26, 1959, before the move, and Fannie moved in with Nathan and Ethel and their three children. The deli closed in 1959.
The deli was known for 5 cent pastrami/corned beef sandwiches sold during the depression. Peter Wellts never let anyone go hungry during this period. They had Vernor's ginger ale on tap during a time when everything was in bottles. Deliveries would come in through the backyard by the garage. It was kosher. Ethel remembers people coming in to use the phone in the kitchen or the washroom in the basement.

Subjects

Delicatessens

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Wellts delicatessen was founded by Peter and Fannie Wellts in the 1910s at 350 College Street. Peter Wellts was born in Tarnigrad, Poland in 1888 and Fannie Brown was born in New York City in 1889. They met in New York and moved with Fannie’s family to Toronto in 1910. Peter worked in the garment district prior at the start of the restaurant business. Fannie’s father David Brown had come earlier from New York to work for Eaton’s in the men’s clothing business. The rest of the Brown family, Fannie’s parents and siblings eventually returned to New York. Peter and Fannie married in Toronto on November 26, 1910. They had two daughters Sylvia (August 26, 1911) (m. Walfish) and Ethel (dob January 7, 1928) (m. Rochwerg). They lived in an apartment above the delicatessen. When Ethel married her husband Nathan Rochwerg in 1948, they moved in with Fannie and Peter above the deli. Ethel and Nathan had three children Martin, Arlene (m. Kochberg), and Sidney. When Peter was in his 70s, it was decided that the family would move north into the Bathurst Manor and close the deli. Peter had a heart attack on December 26, 1959, before the move, and Fannie moved in with Nathan and Ethel and their three children. The deli closed in 1959.
The deli was known for 5 cent pastrami/corned beef sandwiches sold during the depression. Peter Wellts never let anyone go hungry during this period. They had Vernor's ginger ale on tap during a time when everything was in bottles. Deliveries would come in through the backyard by the garage. It was kosher. Ethel remembers people coming in to use the phone in the kitchen or the washroom in the basement.

Subjects

Delicatessens

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Wellts delicatessen was founded by Peter and Fannie Wellts in the 1910s at 350 College Street. Peter Wellts was born in Tarnigrad, Poland in 1888 and Fannie Brown was born in New York City in 1889. They met in New York and moved with Fannie’s family to Toronto in 1910. Peter worked in the garment district prior at the start of the restaurant business. Fannie’s father David Brown had come earlier from New York to work for Eaton’s in the men’s clothing business. The rest of the Brown family, Fannie’s parents and siblings eventually returned to New York. Peter and Fannie married in Toronto on November 26, 1910. They had two daughters Sylvia (August 26, 1911) (m. Walfish) and Ethel (dob January 7, 1928) (m. Rochwerg). They lived in an apartment above the delicatessen. When Ethel married her husband Nathan Rochwerg in 1948, they moved in with Fannie and Peter above the deli. Ethel and Nathan had three children Martin, Arlene (m. Kochberg), and Sidney. When Peter was in his 70s, it was decided that the family would move north into the Bathurst Manor and close the deli. Peter had a heart attack on December 26, 1959, before the move, and Fannie moved in with Nathan and Ethel and their three children. The deli closed in 1959.
The deli was known for 5 cent pastrami/corned beef sandwiches sold during the depression. Peter Wellts never let anyone go hungry during this period. They had Vernor's ginger ale on tap during a time when everything was in bottles. Deliveries would come in through the backyard by the garage. It was kosher. Ethel remembers people coming in to use the phone in the kitchen or the washroom in the basement.

Subjects

Delicatessens

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Wellts delicatessen was founded by Peter and Fannie Wellts in the 1910s at 350 College Street. Peter Wellts was born in Tarnigrad, Poland in 1888 and Fannie Brown was born in New York City in 1889. They met in New York and moved with Fannie’s family to Toronto in 1910. Peter worked in the garment district prior at the start of the restaurant business. Fannie’s father David Brown had come earlier from New York to work for Eaton’s in the men’s clothing business. The rest of the Brown family, Fannie’s parents and siblings eventually returned to New York. Peter and Fannie married in Toronto on November 26, 1910. They had two daughters Sylvia (August 26, 1911) (m. Walfish) and Ethel (dob January 7, 1928) (m. Rochwerg). They lived in an apartment above the delicatessen. When Ethel married her husband Nathan Rochwerg in 1948, they moved in with Fannie and Peter above the deli. Ethel and Nathan had three children Martin, Arlene (m. Kochberg), and Sidney. When Peter was in his 70s, it was decided that the family would move north into the Bathurst Manor and close the deli. Peter had a heart attack on December 26, 1959, before the move, and Fannie moved in with Nathan and Ethel and their three children. The deli closed in 1959.
The deli was known for 5 cent pastrami/corned beef sandwiches sold during the depression. Peter Wellts never let anyone go hungry during this period. They had Vernor's ginger ale on tap during a time when everything was in bottles. Deliveries would come in through the backyard by the garage. It was kosher. Ethel remembers people coming in to use the phone in the kitchen or the washroom in the basement.

Subjects

Delicatessens

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Wellts delicatessen was founded by Peter and Fannie Wellts in the 1910s at 350 College Street. Peter Wellts was born in Tarnigrad, Poland in 1888 and Fannie Brown was born in New York City in 1889. They met in New York and moved with Fannie’s family to Toronto in 1910. Peter worked in the garment district prior at the start of the restaurant business. Fannie’s father David Brown had come earlier from New York to work for Eaton’s in the men’s clothing business. The rest of the Brown family, Fannie’s parents and siblings eventually returned to New York. Peter and Fannie married in Toronto on November 26, 1910. They had two daughters Sylvia (August 26, 1911) (m. Walfish) and Ethel (dob January 7, 1928) (m. Rochwerg). They lived in an apartment above the delicatessen. When Ethel married her husband Nathan Rochwerg in 1948, they moved in with Fannie and Peter above the deli. Ethel and Nathan had three children Martin, Arlene (m. Kochberg), and Sidney. When Peter was in his 70s, it was decided that the family would move north into the Bathurst Manor and close the deli. Peter had a heart attack on December 26, 1959, before the move, and Fannie moved in with Nathan and Ethel and their three children. The deli closed in 1959.
The deli was known for 5 cent pastrami/corned beef sandwiches sold during the depression. Peter Wellts never let anyone go hungry during this period. They had Vernor's ginger ale on tap during a time when everything was in bottles. Deliveries would come in through the backyard by the garage. It was kosher. Ethel remembers people coming in to use the phone in the kitchen or the washroom in the basement.

Subjects

Delicatessens

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Wellts delicatessen was founded by Peter and Fannie Wellts in the 1910s at 350 College Street. Peter Wellts was born in Tarnigrad, Poland in 1888 and Fannie Brown was born in New York City in 1889. They met in New York and moved with Fannie’s family to Toronto in 1910. Peter worked in the garment district prior at the start of the restaurant business. Fannie’s father David Brown had come earlier from New York to work for Eaton’s in the men’s clothing business. The rest of the Brown family, Fannie’s parents and siblings eventually returned to New York. Peter and Fannie married in Toronto on November 26, 1910. They had two daughters Sylvia (August 26, 1911) (m. Walfish) and Ethel (dob January 7, 1928) (m. Rochwerg). They lived in an apartment above the delicatessen. When Ethel married her husband Nathan Rochwerg in 1948, they moved in with Fannie and Peter above the deli. Ethel and Nathan had three children Martin, Arlene (m. Kochberg), and Sidney. When Peter was in his 70s, it was decided that the family would move north into the Bathurst Manor and close the deli. Peter had a heart attack on December 26, 1959, before the move, and Fannie moved in with Nathan and Ethel and their three children. The deli closed in 1959.
The deli was known for 5 cent pastrami/corned beef sandwiches sold during the depression. Peter Wellts never let anyone go hungry during this period. They had Vernor's ginger ale on tap during a time when everything was in bottles. Deliveries would come in through the backyard by the garage. It was kosher. Ethel remembers people coming in to use the phone in the kitchen or the washroom in the basement.

Subjects

Delicatessens

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Wellts delicatessen was founded by Peter and Fannie Wellts in the 1910s at 350 College Street. Peter Wellts was born in Tarnigrad, Poland in 1888 and Fannie Brown was born in New York City in 1889. They met in New York and moved with Fannie’s family to Toronto in 1910. Peter worked in the garment district prior at the start of the restaurant business. Fannie’s father David Brown had come earlier from New York to work for Eaton’s in the men’s clothing business. The rest of the Brown family, Fannie’s parents and siblings eventually returned to New York. Peter and Fannie married in Toronto on November 26, 1910. They had two daughters Sylvia (August 26, 1911) (m. Walfish) and Ethel (dob January 7, 1928) (m. Rochwerg). They lived in an apartment above the delicatessen. When Ethel married her husband Nathan Rochwerg in 1948, they moved in with Fannie and Peter above the deli. Ethel and Nathan had three children Martin, Arlene (m. Kochberg), and Sidney. When Peter was in his 70s, it was decided that the family would move north into the Bathurst Manor and close the deli. Peter had a heart attack on December 26, 1959, before the move, and Fannie moved in with Nathan and Ethel and their three children. The deli closed in 1959.
The deli was known for 5 cent pastrami/corned beef sandwiches sold during the depression. Peter Wellts never let anyone go hungry during this period. They had Vernor's ginger ale on tap during a time when everything was in bottles. Deliveries would come in through the backyard by the garage. It was kosher. Ethel remembers people coming in to use the phone in the kitchen or the washroom in the basement.

Subjects

Delicatessens

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Wellts delicatessen was founded by Peter and Fannie Wellts in the 1910s at 350 College Street. Peter Wellts was born in Tarnigrad, Poland in 1888 and Fannie Brown was born in New York City in 1889. They met in New York and moved with Fannie’s family to Toronto in 1910. Peter worked in the garment district prior at the start of the restaurant business. Fannie’s father David Brown had come earlier from New York to work for Eaton’s in the men’s clothing business. The rest of the Brown family, Fannie’s parents and siblings eventually returned to New York. Peter and Fannie married in Toronto on November 26, 1910. They had two daughters Sylvia (August 26, 1911) (m. Walfish) and Ethel (dob January 7, 1928) (m. Rochwerg). They lived in an apartment above the delicatessen. When Ethel married her husband Nathan Rochwerg in 1948, they moved in with Fannie and Peter above the deli. Ethel and Nathan had three children Martin, Arlene (m. Kochberg), and Sidney. When Peter was in his 70s, it was decided that the family would move north into the Bathurst Manor and close the deli. Peter had a heart attack on December 26, 1959, before the move, and Fannie moved in with Nathan and Ethel and their three children. The deli closed in 1959.
The deli was known for 5 cent pastrami/corned beef sandwiches sold during the depression. Peter Wellts never let anyone go hungry during this period. They had Vernor's ginger ale on tap during a time when everything was in bottles. Deliveries would come in through the backyard by the garage. It was kosher. Ethel remembers people coming in to use the phone in the kitchen or the washroom in the basement.

Subjects

Delicatessens

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Wellts delicatessen was founded by Peter and Fannie Wellts in the 1910s at 350 College Street. Peter Wellts was born in Tarnigrad, Poland in 1888 and Fannie Brown was born in New York City in 1889. They met in New York and moved with Fannie’s family to Toronto in 1910. Peter worked in the garment district prior at the start of the restaurant business. Fannie’s father David Brown had come earlier from New York to work for Eaton’s in the men’s clothing business. The rest of the Brown family, Fannie’s parents and siblings eventually returned to New York. Peter and Fannie married in Toronto on November 26, 1910. They had two daughters Sylvia (August 26, 1911) (m. Walfish) and Ethel (dob January 7, 1928) (m. Rochwerg). They lived in an apartment above the delicatessen. When Ethel married her husband Nathan Rochwerg in 1948, they moved in with Fannie and Peter above the deli. Ethel and Nathan had three children Martin, Arlene (m. Kochberg), and Sidney. When Peter was in his 70s, it was decided that the family would move north into the Bathurst Manor and close the deli. Peter had a heart attack on December 26, 1959, before the move, and Fannie moved in with Nathan and Ethel and their three children. The deli closed in 1959.
The deli was known for 5 cent pastrami/corned beef sandwiches sold during the depression. Peter Wellts never let anyone go hungry during this period. They had Vernor's ginger ale on tap during a time when everything was in bottles. Deliveries would come in through the backyard by the garage. It was kosher. Ethel remembers people coming in to use the phone in the kitchen or the washroom in the basement.

Subjects

Delicatessens

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Wellts delicatessen was founded by Peter and Fannie Wellts in the 1910s at 350 College Street. Peter Wellts was born in Tarnigrad, Poland in 1888 and Fannie Brown was born in New York City in 1889. They met in New York and moved with Fannie’s family to Toronto in 1910. Peter worked in the garment district prior at the start of the restaurant business. Fannie’s father David Brown had come earlier from New York to work for Eaton’s in the men’s clothing business. The rest of the Brown family, Fannie’s parents and siblings eventually returned to New York. Peter and Fannie married in Toronto on November 26, 1910. They had two daughters Sylvia (August 26, 1911) (m. Walfish) and Ethel (dob January 7, 1928) (m. Rochwerg). They lived in an apartment above the delicatessen. When Ethel married her husband Nathan Rochwerg in 1948, they moved in with Fannie and Peter above the deli. Ethel and Nathan had three children Martin, Arlene (m. Kochberg), and Sidney. When Peter was in his 70s, it was decided that the family would move north into the Bathurst Manor and close the deli. Peter had a heart attack on December 26, 1959, before the move, and Fannie moved in with Nathan and Ethel and their three children. The deli closed in 1959.
The deli was known for 5 cent pastrami/corned beef sandwiches sold during the depression. Peter Wellts never let anyone go hungry during this period. They had Vernor's ginger ale on tap during a time when everything was in bottles. Deliveries would come in through the backyard by the garage. It was kosher. Ethel remembers people coming in to use the phone in the kitchen or the washroom in the basement.

Subjects

Delicatessens

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Wellts delicatessen was founded by Peter and Fannie Wellts in the 1910s at 350 College Street. Peter Wellts was born in Tarnigrad, Poland in 1888 and Fannie Brown was born in New York City in 1889. They met in New York and moved with Fannie’s family to Toronto in 1910. Peter worked in the garment district prior at the start of the restaurant business. Fannie’s father David Brown had come earlier from New York to work for Eaton’s in the men’s clothing business. The rest of the Brown family, Fannie’s parents and siblings eventually returned to New York. Peter and Fannie married in Toronto on November 26, 1910. They had two daughters Sylvia (dob August 26, 1911) (m. Walfish) and Ethel (dob January 7, 1928) (m. Rochwerg). They lived in an apartment above the delicatessen. When Ethel married her husband Nathan Rochwerg in 1948, they moved in with Fannie and Peter above the deli. Ethel and Nathan had three children Martin, Arlene (m. Kochberg), and Sidney. When Peter was in his 70s, it was decided that the family would move north into the Bathurst Manor and close the deli. Peter had a heart attack on December 26, 1959, before the move, and Fannie moved in with Nathan and Ethel and their three children. The deli closed in 1959.
The deli was known for 5 cent pastrami/corned beef sandwiches sold during the depression. Peter Wellts never let anyone go hungry during this period. They had Vernor's gingerale on tap during a time when everything was in bottles.Deliveries would come in through the backyard by the garage. It was kosher. Ethel remembers people coming in to use the phone in the kitchen or the washroom in the basement.

Subjects

Delicatessens

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

File consists of handwritten lecture notes and a newspaper clipping documenting Shemen's lecture on Polish Jewry and the struggle between existence and ruin. Shemen presented this lecture to the "Not to Worry!" Club (or "Be of Good Cheer!" Club) in Radomer Hall, 210 Beverley Street.

Item is a photograph of the first annual Board of Jewish Eduacation dinner at Murray House in Torotno. The dinner took place on 7 June 1951. The speaker is Sam Posluns, to his left (partially hidden) is Joe Diamond and Rabbi Bernard Rosensweig.

Wellts delicatessen was founded by Peter and Fannie Wellts in the 1910s at 350 College Street. Peter Wellts was born in Tarnigrad, Poland in 1888 and Fannie Brown was born in New York City in 1889. They met in New York and moved with Fannie’s family to Toronto in 1910. Peter worked in the garment district prior at the start of the restaurant business. Fannie’s father David Brown had come earlier from New York to work for Eaton’s in the men’s clothing business. The rest of the Brown family, Fannie’s parents and siblings eventually returned to New York. Peter and Fannie married in Toronto on November 26, 1910. They had two daughters Sylvia (August 26, 1911) (m. Walfish) and Ethel (dob January 7, 1928) (m. Rochwerg). They lived in an apartment above the delicatessen. When Ethel married her husband Nathan Rochwerg in 1948, they moved in with Fannie and Peter above the deli. Ethel and Nathan had three children Martin, Arlene (m. Kochberg), and Sidney. When Peter was in his 70s, it was decided that the family would move north into the Bathurst Manor and close the deli. Peter had a heart attack on December 26, 1959, before the move, and Fannie moved in with Nathan and Ethel and their three children. The deli closed in 1959.
The deli was known for 5 cent pastrami/corned beef sandwiches sold during the depression. Peter Wellts never let anyone go hungry during this period. They had Vernor's ginger ale on tap during a time when everything was in bottles. Deliveries would come in through the backyard by the garage. It was kosher. Ethel remembers people coming in to use the phone in the kitchen or the washroom in the basement.

This copy photograph of a young couple after their civil marriage ceremony which took place in the synagogue basement. The couple promised their parents they would be married properly as soon as they were stationed near a Jewish community. The groom was stationed at Norman Rogers air drome. Rabbi Ben Zion Steindel, the first Hillel director in Kingston, is in the second row.

Name Access

Beth Israel Congregation (Kingston, Ont.)

Great Britain. Royal Air Force

Subjects

Newlyweds

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Photograph is a copy of a matted portrait of Ida Abramsky (1882-1950), daughter of Joseph Abramsky and Chaia Novack Abramsky. She was born in Bellorussia and came to Kingston with her family in 1896. She married Moe Breslin 1905 and lived in Toronto until her death in 1950.

Name Access

Abramsky, Ida

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Portraits

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Portrait of Joseph Abramsky's second wife. Geisha (Gussie) Abramson (1872-1956) was born in Grodna, Gobernia, and came to Canada after meeting and becoming engaged to Joseph Abramsky, her cousin, in Kingston. She had two children, Samuel (1900-1951) and Annette (Anna) (1902-1970).

Notes

Photograph is a copy.

Original photograph by The Cooke Studio, 244 Princess Street, Kingston.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Portraits

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.